The conflict has huge negative impact on their lives, says UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Residents of militant-held areas of Donbas tend to show growing despair and feeling of isolation, UN news service reported on March 3. According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, the number of casualties among civilians has significantly decreased for the last several months; however, the ongoing conflict strongly depresses people and makes them more and more pessimistic.

“Many people have this horrible feeling of physical, political, economic and social isolation. That makes about three million people who currently stay in the conflict zone. The civilians feel lost and neglected. They badly need more protection and support, right now”, al Hussein said.

The UN experts mark that the ceasefire in Ukraine remains fragile, pointing on frequent reports about regular breaches of the ceasefire, chaotic attacks, tragic incidents resulting in deaths or injuries from landmines and other explosive devices. According to them, the overall number of victims in the Donbas conflict already exceeded 30 thousand people, about 10 thousand of them dead.

Previously, UNICEF reported that about 20 children were killed and twice as much wounded in eastern Ukraine during 2015; most of them stepped on landmines and other explosive devices scattered all over the combat zone.

As 112 International previously reported, on March 2 in Minsk, negotiators of the Minsk Trilateral Group signed two documents, one of them banning any military drills involving the use of live ammunition in the 30-km zone around the division line in Donbas. The document comes into force on March 4.